Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a developing unit which develops a toner image on a surface of a photosensitive member and which collects toner which remains on the surface of the photosensitive member after the developed toner image is transferred to a transfer member. The image forming apparatus includes a controller configured to determine whether a cleaning operation of cleaning the surface of the photosensitive member is to be performed after an image forming operation is performed or control a period of time in which the cleaning operation is performed in accordance with a measured downtime of the image forming apparatus which is a period of time after the image forming operation is terminated and before a next image forming operation is started.

Abstract: A relationship 150?Rs (?)/Rm (?)?4000 is established in an environment of a temperature of 15° C. and a humidity of 10% in a case where a surface resistance of a transfer roller is Rs (?) when a current is fed between a pair of electrodes facing each other in an axial direction of the transfer roller and arranged on a surface of the transfer roller with an interval of 5 mm therebetween, the electrodes having a width of 20 mm in a circumferential direction of the transfer roller in a state of being arranged on the transfer roller, and in a case where a combined resistance of a first layer and a second layer is Rm (?) when the current is fed from a core portion to an outer peripheral surface of the second layer.

Abstract: A controller which causes a light emitting element to continuously perform minute emission for a plurality of dots in a level in which toner is not attached to a non-image section on an image bearing member is provided. The controller controls a first driving current for an image section and controls a second driving current used to perform the minute emission by the light emitting element in the non-image section several times in one job. In the image section, a driving current obtained by adding the first driving current to the second driving current is supplied so that the light emitting element emits light.

Abstract: On each negative plate (1), a non-woven fabric (2) composed of fibers of at least one material selected from a group of materials comprising glass, pulp and polyolefins comes into contact with the entire surface of the plate without being integrated with the plate. Each negative plate (1), which is in contact with the non-woven fabric (2), is contained in an envelope separator (3) comprising a microporous synthetic resin sheet, and is laminated with a positive plate (4). The non-woven fabric is manufactured through papermaking process in which glass fibers, pulp and silica powder are preferably used and dispersed in water as the main components.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image bearing member; a developing device; a transfer member; a contact member provided downstream of the transfer member and upstream of the developing device with respect to a movement direction of a surface of the image bearing member and contacting the image bearing member at a contact portion, wherein the surface of the image bearing member passed through a transfer portion reaches the contact portion without being cleaned, a detecting portion for detecting a size of the sheet; and a controller for executing an operation in a cleaning mode for cleaning the contact member. The controller executes the operation in the cleaning mode when the controller discriminates that the size of the sheet detected by the detecting portion is smaller than a size of the toner image.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a discharging device for discharging the drum at a discharging portion opposing the surface of the drum; and a control unit for executing, during non-image formation, a cleaning operation for transferring the toner deposited on the transfer member onto the drum by applying a voltage from transfer voltage source to the transfer member. The control unit does not effect discharge by the discharging device for at least a region of the drum where a transfer voltage for transferring a normal-polarity toner of the toner deposited on the transfer member onto the drum is applied to the transfer member in the cleaning operation, and then passes the region of the drum through the charging portion in a state in which a voltage larger than a surface potential of the drum in a normal polarity side is applied to the charging member.

Abstract: A Zener diode contacts an inner periphery surface of an intermediate transfer belt, and an opposing roller which opposes a detecting member is electrically insulated, in a configuration where transfer is performed at multiple photosensitive drums while an electrical current is applied in a peripheral direction of the intermediate transfer belt.

Abstract: Provided are a dye-sensitized solar cell wherein a counter electrode composed of a stable counter electrode conductive layer and a catalyst layer is formed on a porous insulation layer, and a dye-sensitized solar cell module wherein the dye-sensitized solar cell is utilized. A dye-sensitized solar cell includes a supporting body made of a light-transmissive material, and a laminate wherein a conductive layer, a photoelectric conversion layer having a porous semiconductor layer with a dye adsorbed therein, a porous insulation layer, a counter electrode conductive layer, and a catalyst layer are laminated in the order presented. The photoelectric conversion layer and the porous insulation layer are filled with a carrier transport material.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a mounting portion to and from which a process cartridge including a photosensitive member and a developing roller is attachable and detachable, a separation mechanism that takes a first position to separate the developing roller from the photosensitive member and a second position to bring the developing roller into contact with the photosensitive member, an allowance mechanism that allows the process cartridge with the developing roller kept in contact with the photosensitive member to be mounted on the mounting portion when the separation mechanism is in the first position, an exposure device, and a control unit, wherein, when the developing roller and the photosensitive member are in contact with each other when the separation mechanism is in the first position, the control unit performs an exposure operation while keeping the separation mechanism in the first position during an initial operation of the image forming apparatus.

Abstract: Provided are a dye-sensitized solar cell wherein a counter electrode composed of a stable counter electrode conductive layer and a catalyst layer is formed on a porous insulation layer, and a dye-sensitized solar cell module wherein the dye-sensitized solar cell is utilized. A dye-sensitized solar cell includes a supporting body made of a light-transmissive material, and a laminate wherein a conductive layer, a photoelectric conversion layer having a porous semiconductor layer with a dye adsorbed therein, a porous insulation layer, a counter electrode conductive layer, and a catalyst layer are laminated in the order presented. The photoelectric conversion layer and the porous insulation lay are filled with a carrier transport material.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a first power source configured to supply charging voltage to a first charging unit, and a second power source configured to supply predetermined voltage to at least one of a second charging unit, a second developing member, and a second transfer unit. The first and the second power sources are grounded via a common resistor component. When the second power source in a state of supplying no voltage or supplying voltage lower than the predetermined voltage at a first timing starts supplying the predetermined voltage while the first power source is supplying the charging voltage, a control unit causes a separating mechanism to move a first developing member to a separation position before a second timing at which an area of a first photosensitive member that is at a charging position at the first timing reaches a developing position.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a first power source configured to supply charging voltage to a first charging unit, and a second power source configured to supply predetermined voltage to at least one of a second charging unit, a second developing member, and a second transfer unit. The first and the second power sources are grounded via a common resistor component. When the second power source in a state of supplying no voltage or supplying voltage lower than the predetermined voltage at a first timing starts supplying the predetermined voltage while the first power source is supplying the charging voltage, a control unit causes a separating mechanism to move a first developing member to a separation position before a second timing at which an area of a first photosensitive member that is at a charging position at the first timing reaches a developing position.

Abstract: Test patches are formed such that lengths of the test patches in a rotational direction of the intermediate transfer member are shorter than a length of the intermediate transfer member from a primary transfer portion located in the lowermost stream among the plurality of primary transfer portions to the secondary transfer portion.

Abstract: An optical detection device includes a light emitting element, a light receiving element, a housing including a first aperture and a second aperture, wherein light emitted from the light emitting element reaches the light receiving element through the second aperture after passing through the first aperture and being reflected by an irradiated surface, and a slope provided in the housing and inclined in an array direction of the light emitting element and the light receiving element, as viewed in a normal direction of the irradiated surface, wherein the slope is provided at a portion on an upstream side of the first aperture in an emission direction of light from the light emitting element, the portion faces the light emitting element in the array direction, and light emitted from the light emitting element enters the portion.

Abstract: The image forming apparatus includes an image bearing member; an endless and rotatable intermediate transfer member including a primary transfer portion and a secondary transfer portion; a first current supplying member to which voltage is applied, the first current supplying member being held in contact with the intermediate transfer member to supply current in a peripheral direction of the intermediate transfer member; and a second current supplying member to which voltage is applied, the second current supplying member being held in contact with the intermediate transfer member to supply current in the peripheral direction of the intermediate transfer member. By providing one common power supply for the primary transfer and the secondary transfer power, the intermediate transfer member and the second current supplying member can be cleaned stably and efficiently.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a first detection unit including a first light receiving element arranged in a direction of normal reflected light reflected from a first positional deviation correction pattern, a second detection unit including a second light receiving element arranged in a different direction of normal reflected light reflected from a second positional deviation correction pattern, and a control unit configured to correct a positional deviation based on a value calculated from a first detection result detected by the first detection unit and a second detection result detected by the second detection unit.

Abstract: Provided are a first detecting unit having a singular first light-receiving element disposed to face a direction of normal reflection of light, the light having been emitted from a first light-emitting element toward a first detection image formed on the rotary member and reflected thereat, and a second detecting unit having a singular second light-receiving element disposed to face a direction different from a direction of normal reflection of light, the light having been emitted from a second light-emitting element toward a second detection image formed on the rotary member and reflected thereat. A value relating to toner density is obtained based on a first detection result detected by the first detecting unit and a second detection result detected by the second detecting unit.

Abstract: The image forming apparatus includes a control unit that controls the potential at a transfer portion of a rotary member to be a potential of the same polarity as the charged polarity of the toner at development, when an image forming apparatus starts rotating a photosensitive member, after the start of output by a common power supply and before a charge area on the photosensitive member reaches the transfer portion.

Abstract: An optical detection device includes a light emitting element, a light receiving element, a housing including a first aperture and a second aperture, wherein light emitted from the light emitting element reaches the light receiving element through the second aperture after passing through the first aperture and being reflected by an irradiated surface, and a slope provided in the housing and inclined in an array direction of the light emitting element and the light receiving element, as viewed in a normal direction of the irradiated surface, wherein the slope is provided at a portion on an upstream side of the first aperture in an emission direction of light from the light emitting element, the portion faces the light emitting element in the array direction, and light emitted from the light emitting element enters the portion.

Abstract: In a color image forming apparatus, the amount of light of an exposure unit for a weak exposure is changed according to a remaining service life of a photosensitive drum when the weak exposure is performed for the background area of a corresponding photosensitive drum by using the exposure unit.